Graduation announcements don't come cheap-- and the designs
offered by the
high school's graduation vendors are often limited. But there's
no reason that the thrifty graduate or proud parent can't make his
or her own graduation invitations. Here are some ideas for creating
your own graduation cards.
The family and old friends on your list will appreciate getting a
copy of your student's picture, especially if it's been awhile
since they've seen the graduate. You can make the photo the focal
point of the card very simply. Use your favorite card-creating computer program,
and choose the quad-fold card option. On the inside of the card,
write your own announcement ("We are proud to announce the
graduation of…" is a standard preface), and be sure to
include the name of the high school. If you are inviting people to
the ceremony or a graduation party, include the time, date and
place of the event. Leave the front of the card blank, and print
the announcements on your favorite card stock (you can choose plain
white, textured, or school colors, as long as they're not too dark
to read the print). Once you've folded the card, use a glue stick
to attach a 2" x 3" (approximately 5 cm x 7.5 cm) photo print
of the graduation picture. Don't use too much glue-the idea
is that the recipient can detach and keep the photo.
A more formal option is to go to a stationary or office supply
store and buy blank card sets. Some stores even carry blank sets
specifically tailored for graduations. Depending on the kit, these
blank cards can be either hand-lettered or printed at home-just
make sure to find out which method is intended for the cards you
choose. On the front of the card, print "Class of XXXX," the name
of the high school, the name of the graduate, or any combination of
these elements. Inside, you have the opportunity to include not
just the graduation date or invitation details, but to write a few
words about the graduate and her post-graduation
plans. Use both sides of the card if desired.
A fun approach for casual graduation invitations is to print them
out like flyers on standard-sized pieces of fancy paper stock, then
roll each one up like a diploma. Tie the invitations with several
pieces of curly gift ribbon for a festive look.
Finally, the busy parent can find both creativity and convenience
by using an online photo website to do the work. Much as you can
order photo-based holiday cards on the web, you can order
open-faced graduation invitations in the same manner. If the
graduate already has his cap and gown, take a
high-resolution picture of him decked out, and use it as the
basis of the card. If not, use a flattering current picture. And
whatever approach you use to your graduation invitations, make sure
to run it by the lucky student to make sure he likes the cards,
too.
Find out more about invitations:
http://www.videojug.com/interview/party-invitations
